In Service to our Country

This interview really got to me. I’ve been lucky enough to not have any close family or friends in the active military so I, like many of us, have been isolated from the harsh reality of those who have served our country. The reality of seeing close buddies killed or coming back home disabled for life. The reality of coming home with haunting flashbacks or nightmares, trouble sleeping and difficulty concentrating.

Some servicemen and women come back feeling emotionally numb or shut down, like they don’t care about anything. Others experience an exagerated sense of awareness; they are hypervigilant and easily startled.

Not surprisingly, the 4th of July IS NOT their favorite holiday.

These are all symptoms of PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. An anxiety disorder caused by seeing or experiencing a traumatic event that involves the threat of injury or death.

Ashley Jarvis, a young husband and father who works with Remax Advantage Realtors in Salina, talked with me about his two tours of duty, and, I must say, it was a privelage. While Ashley does not want to be seen as the Salina spokesperson for PTSD, his interview brought this issue to light in a very personal way. Fortunately, he did not come back with PTSD, but he had buddies who did and it has changed their lives and the lives of their families in untold ways.